On Sunday, three days before his 79th birthday, the Howell resident was feeling his age. He'd run three races in the previous five days: the Michigan Senior Olympics 5K and 10K and the Howell Melon Fest 5K.

Now he stood next to the Oakland University track, about to log another 1500 meters at the Michigan Senior Olympics.

“I’m a little tired,” said Dugger, smiling as he glanced at the competitors in the 75 to 79 age group, waiting near the start line as the temperatures rose into the upper 80s. He noted some of them were new to the age group. “You’re never sure who will show. The stars have to align for a good day.”

Soon, he is racing around the Oakland University track, crossing the finish line third in his age group for the 1500 with a time of 8:35.

The oldest was 102-year-old Fred Winters, of Holland, who competed in the 100-meter and 50-meter dashes. Winters is a hero for some of the spectators High school students asked to have their photos taken with him and called him “a legend.”

“The senior Olympics is a wonderful thing to watch — so inspiring,” said the organization's executive director, Becky Ridky. “People see and think, ‘I can do that.’ We have all different kinds of competitors, some that train year-round and some that just want to try something new.

"They might not even expect to win a medal and just want to beat their own time, or they just want to be involved and are doing it for the fun of it. It doesn’t matter if you are seasoned or a first-time competitor — everyone is welcome.”

Dugger is one of the more seasoned competitors, currently on his second stint as a runner. The first was in the mid-1970s, during what he calls “the running craze.” He ran well into the '80s, but after the Detroit Diesel engineer received a promotion and began traveling extensively for work, he had no time to run and stopped.

The years passed. He put on 50 pounds and was diagnosed with diabetes. A doctor prescribed him high blood pressure medication. And so, in 2007, he took up running once more.

“Part of being an engineer is, when something is wrong, you figure out what to do to resolve the problem,” said Dugger.

Running was his solution. Not only did he lose the weight, he rid himself of diabetes, lowered his cholesterol and was able to ditch the meds.

He began racing again -- 5Ks, 10Ks and even marathons.

Dugger is putting on his running shoes five days per week — doing 5, 6 or 7 miles per day by himself or joining one of his running groups twice a week. On Monday nights, it is the Howell Underground Running Team (HURT), which meets at Howell High School. On Saturdays, he joins the Ann Arbor Running Club for long runs of 8, 10, or 12 miles on the University of Michigan campus. He goes to Planet Fitness three days a week to lift weights.

David Dugger, 78, of Howell, competed in multiple track events Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017 at the Michigan Senior Olympics on the campus of Oakland University, winning bronze medals for his efforts.(Photo: Susan Bromley)

Overall, he feels good physically — no knee or hip problems — and, while it may be hard to find the motivation some days to get out the door, find it he does. He'll hear about it from his running pals later if he doesn't. It may take a good half-mile to a mile to get the aches and pains gone, but he knows the endorphin rush that will follow.

“I feel that runner’s high 90 percent of the time,” said Dugger. “Sometimes it doesn’t show up, but you have to get out there and get moving.”

At 84, Diego Enciso is a newbie to the Michigan Senior Olympics. He competed for the first time in 2016.

“Last year, I was hobbled and just able to finish,” said Enciso, a Brighton resident who competes in the 50- and 100-meter dashes and doesn’t have special running shoes, just a worn pair of sneakers. “This year, I’m in better shape. I had never done any running, I tried to get in shape, but instead, just pulled muscles.”

He pauses, before laughing, “I’d not been competitive before in my life, but it’s getting late. I thought, ‘What the hell.’ When you get in your 80s, it’s important to stay in the best shape you can, and it’s harder as you get older.”

Enciso taught physics and chemistry at Cass Tech High School in Detroit for 36 years and was an adjunct professor at Lawrence Technological University in the evening for 30 years. He also was a substitute teacher in Brighton and Howell for 10 years, stopping only when he turned 80.

On Sunday, Enciso was joined on the track by his son, Matt Enciso, 53, inspired to compete by his dad.

“How can you not be inspired by an 84-year-old doing sprints?” asks Matt. “I think he’s awesome. I hope when I’m 84, I’m still running.”

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Diego Enciso, 84, of Brighton, with his son, Matt Enciso, 53, of Highland. The pair competed in their respective age groups at the Michigan Senior Olympics on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017 at the Oakland University campus.(Photo: Susan Bromley)

The father and son duo each took home 2 silver medals in their respective age groups — Diego for the 50- and 100-meter dashes, and Matt for the 50 and long jump.

Dugger collected three bronze medals total at the Michigan Senior Olympics — for the 1500, the 200 and the high jump.

But there is no rest for him. This Saturday, he will run the 10-mile Crim race in Flint, his eighth time running the event, and he is signed up to run the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon in October. He is unsure if he will run another marathon.

“My last marathon was Traverse City in May,” said Dugger. “The first half was great, the second half I almost died. I finished in 5 hours, 55 minutes … I did Boston in 2015 and it was not good. It was 40 and pouring rain. The first half was reasonable, but then my back was spazzing, and I was freezing. My wife said I’m done with marathons. We’ll see.”

Dugger’s wife Alwilda, to whom he has been married for 59 years, was there on Sunday to cheer him on.

“I like his running — it keeps him moving,” she said. “He tells our friends, ‘If you have a recliner, you’re gonna die.’”

Dugger isn’t reclining. He’s running. And, next year, he’ll be the youngster when he moves into the 80 to 84 age group.